Visiting Colloquium Professors - 2011

March 24th 2011

Amy Bastian, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Neuroscience Johns Hopkins University

Understanding and Optimizing Human Motor Learning

Motor learning can occur on many timescales --- from minutes to hours to years. Here I will discuss a form of short timescale motor learning called adaptation. I will discuss 4 questions: Why adapt? How well retained and general is this type of learning? What are the affects of focal brain damage? And do children learn differently than adults? I will argue that an understanding of the processes is essential for neurorehabilitation and will discuss the transition from short time scale adaptation to more permanent learning.